


The (Im)Perfect Dress

by Oceans_Away



Series: Loretober Weekly Prompts 2020 [2]
Category: Lore Olympus (Webcomic)
Genre: Cute, Everyone had a goddamn opinion, F/M, Fussy friends, Gen, Hades is a good boyfriend, LoreTober (Lore Olympus), Maid of Honour Eros, Persephone powers, Romance, Shopping, Sneaking in my Hecartemis and Hermeg ships, Wedding Dress, Wedding Fluff, Wedding Planning, Weddings, bridesmaids - Freeform, fashion - Freeform, sex references
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:41:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26903053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oceans_Away/pseuds/Oceans_Away
Summary: Persephone's bridal party gather at Hera's flagship boutique to choose her wedding dress. Persephone deals with everyone having an *opinion* and finds her own solution to the fashion conundrum.Loretober 2020, Week 2: FashionSong:Wedding Song, Hadestown(obviously)
Relationships: Hades/Persephone (Lore Olympus)
Series: Loretober Weekly Prompts 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1954678
Comments: 16
Kudos: 82





	The (Im)Perfect Dress

Persephone twirled in front of the large, dazzlingly lit mirror. The huge, hoop skirts of the whipped-cream dress swirled around her. She smiled. She tugged the bandeau around her breasts and patted her twin buns neat. A happy flutter burst in her belly.

_ I’m really doing this. I’m choosing my wedding dress. _

She smoothed the skirts, glanced at herself once more, and threw back the dressing room curtain with a bright, buoyant smile.

“No.”

She sagged. Her mother sat stiffly in a pink velvet armchair, one leg crossed over the other, looking razor sharp in her angular power suit. Her mouth was flat. Her fingernails drummed impatiently on her knee.

“What?” Persephone whined, “Why?”

“I already said, you shouldn’t go strapless,” Demeter replied, her nostrils flaring.

Hecate rolled her eyes in the armchair beside Demeter and flashed Persephone a sympathetic look. Artemis sat cross-legged on the floor at her feet, leaning against her shins, chewing gum. Daphne perched on a pouffe, like a fairy on a toadstool, in the middle of the group, sipping from her third glass of rose champagne and smiling slightly blearily. Eros stood beside her, arms folded, eyes scrutinising, a tape measure draped around his shoulders. He’d already seen the fitters off twice. Hermes sat on another pouffe, Megaera in his lap. He also glugged champagne, while sneakily squeezing the fury’s thigh. They were all nestled in the central space of Hera’s flagship wedding dress boutique. Everything was roses and cream. Ornate gilding adorned the mantels, chandeliers hung from the ceiling, the rooms gushed with white chiffon and satin and silk and gauze. Persephone’s bridal party looked like droplets of food colouring in a huge, glass bowl of fluffy meringue mix.

“Strapless works for her, Demeter,” Eros said thoughtfully, “The problem with that one is the skirt.”

“I like the skirt,” Daphne piped, her voice echoing in her glass, “It’s got floof.”

“Floof is for dogs,” Eros huffed.

He strode forward, sweeping his quiff off his brow, and began fussing around Persephone’s waist, tucking the ballooning skirts tight around the tops of her legs. Persephone wriggled and wrinkled her nose at him.

“Cooperate,” he commanded, then stood straight, keeping the skirts pinched at her thigh. “See? She’s all tits and hips, she needs a dress that works with that.”

“I’m sorry,” Demeter said through clenched teeth, “She’s all  _ what? _ ”

Eros cocked his eyebrow. “She’s got an hourglass figure.”

Demeter pursed her lips.

“It needs to be something she can dance in,” Hermes added, grinning and jigging Meg on his lap, making her giggle, her snakes hissing like a soda bottle opening.

“That’s true,” Eros said, “She can’t move in this thing.”

“Not with you pinching my butt, like a dirty old man in an elevator.” Persephone complained, batting Eros’ hand away.

“Try the next one,” Hecate said in a peace-making tone.

Persephone jabbed Eros in the ribs, but nodded and shuffled back into the dressing room. She had been in the shop an hour already. The crystal lighting was getting a little glaring. The champagne was getting a little warm.

_ I’m having fun. I’m a bride-to-be. I’m with my closest friends.  _

“I’m banning the word 'tits'.” Her mother’s snippy voice rose from the other side of the curtain.

_ I. Am. Having. Fun.  _

“And 'ass'.”

_ Ugh. _

“I didn’t say ass,” Eros retorted, “I said hips. What, are hips dirty now too?”

“I am pre-emptively banning 'ass', don’t pretend for a minute it wasn’t on its way.”

The hoop skirts dropped to the floor, pooling at Persephone's feet. She glowed like a glass of raspberry mousse on a large dinner plate. She exhaled softly and shook her head. She slipped into the next dress on the rail of special selections. The smooth satin stroked up her body, cooling her, sculpting her. A slender vine sneaked from her hair and wound down to do the delicate row of buttons up the lace back. Persephone regarded herself, a porcelain vase of pink roses in the mermaid cut. 

She stepped from the dressing room again. Eros’, Artemis’ and Hermes’ eyebrows floated up in unison, eyes travelling down her closely cupped curves. Persephone turned to show the lace back, through which her skin glimmered, the satin tugging tight over her shape.

“Wowzer!” Hermes yelped, “Ass WAS on its way! I’m just gonna snap a quick pic of this one. For reference.”

He snatched his phone out of his pocket, Meg snatched it from his hand. “It’s beautiful,” she said sweetly, while Hermes lurched around her body for the phone she was holding at arm's length.

“Yeah?” Persephone asked, turning back to them.

“It shows a lot.” Demeter sounded cagy.

Hecate shrugged. “Not much more than standard Mortal Realm garb.” 

“I…” Persephone eyed the rainbow of faces and their various nettling expressions. “I think it’s nice?”

“Nice?” Daphne drew back. “This is your wedding, Persie, it needs to be perfect.”

_ Perfect. _

Persephone had a complex relationship with that word. One of her favourite things about her relationship with Hades was that so much about it was  _ imperfect.  _ The royal balancing act, the demands and expectations, punishments and anxieties and obstacles, both inside and out. None of that had ever once made them question their partnership. They loved each other through all their doubts and fears and insecurities. She didn’t have to do well at school, or uphold certain values, or take certain risks, in order to make him happy. For the first time in her life, she was imperfect. And it felt wonderful.

“It clearly hasn’t spoken to you.” Eros flapped his hand. “Next.”

Persephone wrinkled her nose again. “What do you mean, ‘spoken to me’?”

Eros sighed in deep exasperation. “Persie, it’s your wedding dress. It’s the most important guest. You have to spend your whole day and night with her, so she has to feel exactly right. She has to marry your body before your husband can.”

Persephone crinkled her brow.

“I am also banning the phrase ‘marry your body’,” Demeter said drily, checking her email on her phone.

Eros glared into the middle distance. 

“Eros, man,” Hermes leaned around Meg, “Just to check, you’re aware that this is Persie’s wedding, right? Not yours?”

“I’m a love god, Hermes,” Eros stated, “Every wedding is my wedding.” He rounded on Persephone. “Next.”

Persephone stuck her tongue out at him, but obeyed. She returned to the dressing room and peeled the tight dress off. She took a deep, relieved breath. She hadn’t realised how compressing it had been. Maybe Eros had a smidgeon of a point. 

It was hot under the lights. She fanned her face and dropped to sit on the bench along one damask wall. She slipped her phone from her bag.

_ 1 new message. Hera: How’s it going? _

Persephone felt a tinge of guilt. Hera couldn’t make it, but she’d shut down the whole store to give Persephone freedom to explore. Persephone should be more excited.

She keyed in a sunny response.

_ Persephone: Really well, thank you, so many beautiful dresses!! Very grateful you let me do this. _

_ Hera: You are very welcome, Sweetheart. Do send me a pic of what you choose. _

Persephone’s stomach sank. Not only did her dress, her wedding, have to satisfy the gods of love, but the goddess of marriage too. And not just them. All the realms. She wasn’t the queen anybody had expected, or asked for. She and Hades talked often, curled up together in bed with Cerberus snoring by their feet, about just eloping. Running away to Egypt or Norway or India, having a private ceremony, just the two of them, none of this fanfare and parading about, none of this proving their relationship to anyone else. But he was a king. Kings got surprisingly few wishes granted.

She looked up and caught her face in the mirror.

_ Fates, I look practically glum. Come on, silly girl, it’s been a hard enough ride without you making this all about the stresses too. _

She stood resolutely. She cocked her head and smiled at herself. Her white lace underwear cut into her cuddlesome curves. Her mind wandered to this morning, to the pathways Hades had ploughed through her soft flesh with his hard tongue. She warmed and pressed her lips together. There was still a magenta hickey on the inside of her thigh, and just over the cup of her bra. She picked up her phone again. She took on a cute, cheeky pose, hip jutted out and shoulders bunched up. She photographed her reflection. She grinned down at her phone, as she sent the picture to Hades.

_ Sweetness: Think I’m gonna go with this one xx _

She thought about his tongue circling her nipples and saw them peek through the lace. She thought about his tongue travelling down...

“Persephone, are you alive?” Hermes hooted, close to the curtain.

Persephone jumped out of her skin, her phone flying from her hands and vanishing in the folds of the dropped dress.

“Yes!” She squeaked, “Just warring with buttons!”

A pixie chuckle sneaked into Hermes’ voice. “Need any help?”

“Hermes!” several voices groaned.

Persephone laughed. “I’m fine, but what a gentleman.”

“I think so!” Hermes rapped on the door frame of the dressing room. She heard his wings flutter, as he wandered back to his seat. 

The next dress encased her like hard candy, enormous puffy sleeves and a corset like armour. She waddled out, feeling twice her weight.

“Lovely!” Demeter exclaimed, at the exact moment Eros barked “Over my dead body!”

“It is a bit much, Momma,” Persephone said diplomatically.

“A bit much?” Artemis’ eyes goggled, “You look like a cake that exploded in the oven.”

Hecate tickled the back of her neck in reprimand, but was struggling to conceal a smirk.

“What’s it made out of?” Daphne asked with a note of genuine concern.

“I can only presume recycled milk cartons,” Eros said.

Hermes looked thrilled. “Meg, phone,  _ please _ . I really do need to photograph this one.”

Meg grinned, but the snake that was the biggest fan of Persephone shot out and nipped his ear. He flinched and poked its nose. The other snakes gaped at the dress in horror. Persephone caught Meg’s eye. The gorgon gave a subtle shake of her head.

“Don’t listen to them, Kore Cob.” Demeter adopted a calm, authoritative tone. “It’s modest, regal, exactly what you’re looking for.”

“It’s hideous!” Artemis squawked.

“It’s pretty old fashioned, Dem,” Hecate added.

“It’s a biohazard,” Eros growled, looking like the pink flower on a prickly pear, “Remove it for all our safety.”

Persephone batted her eyes at him. “You know what? I think this is the one.”

Eros bristled. “This is not a laughing matter, Madam.”

“No, really,” Persephone continued nonchalantly, “I feel it, you know? It  _ speaks  _ to me.”

Eros ground his teeth. “Miss Persephone, change this instant or I will curse your husband with impotence.”

Demeter tutted.

Persephone shrugged, “Tongue still works.”

Demeter gasped.

“What about something more like the first one, but with a higher neckline?” Daphne piped, glancing sideways at her old boss.

Eros waved her away. “High neckline's not right for her tits.”

Demeter banged the arm of her chair. “I beg your pardon, young man!”

“I mean…” Eros drawled irritably, “Her  _ figure. _ ”

“What does Hades like?” Meg asked in a helpful tone.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Hermes snickered and tickled her waist. 

A different snake nipped his ear.

“Ouch!”

Artemis cast her hands into the air. “Who cares what Hades likes? She's not getting married to please some man!”

“I mean, technically…” Hermes began.

“You should wear a pantsuit,” Artemis stated, “Stick it to ‘em.”

Persephone put her hand on her hip, or rather the stiff jut of unidentifiable fabric where her hip should be. “Stick it to who exactly?”

“As much as I am a fan of a pantsuit,” Hecate said with a chuckle in her voice, scooping Artemis’ hair off her neck and beginning to braid it absent-mindedly, “On this occasion, I’d say you want something with some slink.”

“She does not want slink,” Demeter grumbled.

Eros wrapped the ends of the tape measure around his hands. “She wants something sexy, but tasteful. Something that accentuates her assets, but doesn't flaunt them.”

Demeter glared at him. “I'm adding ‘assets’ to the list of banned words.”

“It is almost ‘ass’,” Hermes pointed out.

Daphne nodded sagely.

Persephone pinched the bridge of her nose. “OK. So, modest, regal, sexy, sweet, tasteful, slinky, and floof are our key words here.”

Her friends all exchanged glances, then replied in unison. “Yes.”

Persephone gave a tired nod and trudged back to the dressing room. She extracted herself from the latest rejected dress, rubbing emerging aches on the back of her neck and shoulders, then rummaged in the waves of white on the floor. She fished out her phone. The lockscreen was a picture of Pomelia. She smiled weakly.

_ 1 new message. Hades: MARRY ME NOW xx _

She smiled broader. She sat back on the bench and sucked her lip, typing her reply.

_ Sweetness: Gods, I wish. Where are we on eloping? Xx _

He answered straight away.

_ Hades: Not having fun, my love? Xx _

She sighed.

_ Sweetness: It’s not that. I suppose it’s just… _

She paused. She looked up at the ceiling, gold frosting flourishing over the ornate plasterwork.

_...I’m hearing a lot of “you want this” and “you need this” and “you should this” xx _

Hadn’t she all her life?

When her phone buzzed again, she felt it in her pulse.

_ Hades: What do *you* want, Sweetness? _

Her eyes brimmed. She blinked hurriedly, defending the make up she’d put on with Eros that morning. She felt a weight lift from her chest.

_ Sweetness: You xx _

_ Hades: I want you too. I’m hanging out in the bedroom because the sheets still smell like you. Xx _

She felt her cheeks glowing. Her hair stirred. She tucked a stray lock behind her ear.

_ Hades: Sad, right? Xx _

_ Sweetness: Adorable. You are now second only to Pomelia xx _

_ Hades: My eternal rival. But OK, you want me, you’ve got me. You’ve really got me. What do you want dress-wise? Xx _

Persephone leaned her elbow on her knee and propped her cheek in her hand. She tapped her foot thoughtfully.

_ Sweetness: That’s just it. I want you. I don’t want to “get married”. I know it’s this big thing and they’re all just excited for me. But honestly I can’t get that into the trappings. I feel like this wedding is for everyone else’s benefit. We’re already happy without it. Xx _

There was a pause. She felt a flutter of nerves. She typed again.

_ Sweetness: Right? Xx _

Another moment.

_ Hades: We are so happy, my love. And we always will be. The Underworld is ours. We have the blessing so few lovers have, we can spend the rest of our lives in the darkness of night. We never have to fear the dawn that breaks lovers apart and sends them out on separate days, full of other people and their presumptions and demands. That precious moment when lovers are closer than ever, that’s ours for the rest of time. But we are loved by others too, you are especially. We’ve jumped through so many hoops, at least this one they’re putting up is because they want to celebrate us. We are something remarkable, Sweetness. Let us be celebrated. Xxx _

Persephone gazed at the message. Her eyes pricked, her heart whirled, all her muscles unknotted. Her blood flowed into her fingertips, as if she could dissolve into her phone and reappear in Hades’ arms, in their bed. 

_ Let us be celebrated. _

Yes. Everyday. For the rest of immortality. She was the Goddess of Spring. She was born for celebration, for joy, for dancing, for heat. That was how Hades made her feel, their love was a constant celebration under her skin. She felt it rise, drum, whistle, like music. Her head hummed. Her pulse picked up its tempo. The soles of her feet tingled. The roots of her hair fizzed. Her stomach somersaulted. Her heart skipped.

_ We are so happy, my love. _

A burst of white. It flurried like snow, coursed around her, rushed her with a refreshing breeze that nearly lifted her off her feet, as she stumbled to stand. The blizzard settled over her body. She gazed into the mirror. She beamed so wide, her face ached with it. 

A swarm of dainty white butterflies, speckled with pink and blue, had erupted from her body and now nestled to her in a rippling gown, more delicate than fine lace. The butterflies crowned her breasts, speckled her shoulders, huddled around her hips, fluttered in a train that dissipated behind her, like threads of early morning cloud. They wreathed her freed, wild hair. One settled on her ring finger, its wings folded neatly. One danced in front of her face and landed on her nose, her giggle sending it back into the air, with a few others that bobbed in dizzy trails around her. She giggled again.

She drew back the curtain slowly and walked, barefoot, into the main store. 

Seven jaws dropped.

Persephone took her time walking towards them, feeling the butterflies shift with the motion of her body, utterly in tune with her. This time, she didn’t twirl, or curtsey, or wait for comment. She walked like mist on water. She stood still and calm and smiling brighter than the summer sea.

“This is the one,” she said.

Meg’s snakes all cuddled together, as her hand flew to her heart and her huge, amethyst eyes sparkled. Hermes grinned lopsidedly and dropped his cheek to Meg’s shoulder. Daphne clapped her hand to her mouth, her ears spiking. Hecate leaned back in her chair and nodded, with a proud smile. Artemis gawped in delight. 

Demeter’s face went still as stone, her eyes wide and her lips parted. She drew in a trembling breath. “Oh, Persephone…” she murmured, her voice thinning, “It’s beautiful. You’re beautiful.”

Persephone beamed at her mother. A traitor droplet squeezed from the corner of her eye, she caught it on her fingertip. 

She turned to Eros. “If you ask if it speaks to me, you’re fired.”

Eros said nothing. His cheeks were flushed dusky, his eyes were round, his brow creased. He twisted the tape measure in his hands and gazed at his best friend with his chest puffing out, his heart swelling.

“It’s…” He swallowed, his Adam’s Apple bobbing, his voice husking. “It’s you.”

Persephone felt a catch in her throat. She and Eros looked into each other’s eyes. She knew he could feel it, how in love she was. How wonderfully in love. With her future husband. With herself. 

Silence filled the room, everyone gazing at Persephone and her jubilant, enchanting, powerful beauty. Seeing all her dearest friends together in one place, Persephone stopped feeling like the wedding was just work. It had brought them all together. All she'd ever wanted was this feeling of togetherness. 

“And hey!” Hermes’ brash voice broke the moment. “It’s free!”

Persephone burst out laughing.

“Way to kill the mood, dumbass!” Artemis yelled.

“Hey! Ass was banned!” Hermes yapped. 

Meg erupted into giggles, joining Persephone. Daphne caught them too and almost toppled off her stool. Hecate grinned. Demeter rolled her eyes and dabbed them with her fingertips, restoring her cool state. 

Eros whipped the tape measure out. “But I do want to take measurements, to make sure you get it perfect next time too.”

“It doesn’t have to be perfect.” Persephone smiled to herself.

Eros ignored her, swooping in. Persephone wrestled with him, as he fussed around the butterflies. Demeter panicked he would disturb them and leave her naked. Hecate poured more champagne. Artemis collapsed dramatically onto the floor at Hermes’ next terrible joke. Daphne and Meg doubled over, still laughing. The bridal party dissolved into its usual chaos.

Persephone eventually fought Eros off and returned to the dressing room to tidy up. She pressed her hands to her face, massaging the ache from laughing and trying not to cry. Her phone lay expectantly on the bench. She picked it up.

_ 1 new message. Hades: All OK, Sweetness? Xx _

She smiled. 

_ Sweetness: I found one xx _

_ Hades: Well done! Now get home so I can wreck those flimsy panties. Xx _

Her laughter soared again.

_ Sweetness: I love you xxx _

_ Hades: Forever xxx _

She let out a gust of breath. The butterflies whisked from her body, drifting out into the room and dancing among her friends.

_ Let us be celebrated. _

_ Yes, my eternity. Let’s. _


End file.
